Tamestit is touring Australia and while in Hobart was happy to share the history of his special instrument with schoolchildren before a concert with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TSO).

In a statement, the TSO said "while there are roughly 600 violins made by Stradivari, only around 10 of his violas are known to have survived intact".

While the price of such a rare item remains purely speculative, a 2014 auction of a similar instrument at Sotheby's in New York sought USD$45 million as a base price, dwarfing the USD$15.9 million sale of a Stradivari violin at around the same time.

"It's quite amazing to play such an instrument," Tamestit said.

What makes the quality of the instrument so special, and others created by Stradivari, is the subject of much scrutiny.

Tamestit said it was a combination of factors, including even the varnish.